1. Field
The presently disclosed embodiments relate generally to applications for touch devices and smart phones, and more specifically to ranking of such applications based on characteristics such as location, time, and type of user movement.
2. Background
Many UEs, appliances, and other networked devices now have the ability to run a broad variety of specialized apps (applications) and to allow the user to select and download ones that are of interest. As used herein, widgets are considered a subset of apps.
This added functionality has led to application stores (or app stores), that is, servers which maintain inventories and rankings of applications for purchase and download. Examples include the IPHONE APP STORE (APPLE), APP WORLD (BLACKBERRY), ANDROID MARKET (GOOGLE), LG APPLIANCE WEBSTORE (LG), OVI STORE (NOKIA), OPERA WIDGETS (OPERA), SAMSUNG APPLICATION STORE (SAMSUNG), PLAYNOW ARENA (SONY), VODAFONE WIDGETS (VODAFONE), V-CAST STORE (VERIZON), and many others.
These app stores can include hundreds of thousands of apps typically ranked according to popularity among users. Unfortunately, many useful apps and new, yet high-quality apps are not easily found via the current ranking systems. Keyword searches can be used, but users are not always able to think of keywords that will return relevant apps. Apps can also be browsed via category, but this option too is limited by keyword searching and popularity rankings within each category.
As a result, users spend exorbitant amounts of time searching for apps, and often do not find what they are looking for or do not find the most beneficial apps. Apps that could be beneficial, but do not fall within the user's purview are often never found. These approaches also may not take into consideration the personal interests or circumstances of a user. There is therefore a need in the art for improved systems and method for ranking apps.